Won't Ever Give Up
by simplyjazzie09
Summary: Hotch enters a building in search of a missing girl. Spencer watches it explode moments later. Mild Slash.


**As I was writing this, I recognized the fact that much of this would probably just .never. happen, but this is the way my muse told me to write it and I cannot beat her. Trust me, I've tried. So my advice is to try to put all logic aside and to sit back and enjoy the ride. =)**

Spencer knew what was going to happen the entire time but was powerless to stop it. He watched the scene unfold before him as if it were a movie he was watching rather than the terrifying reality. Morgan and Prentiss were in front of him, their guns drawn as they tried to talk the unsub into surrendering. The Miami-Dade police stood in the exact same position around them- guns drawn, stance strong. Ready. Yet even in the face of all that, the unsub looked calm and unshaken. And Spencer simply knew they wouldn't be talking him out of anything. He had a feeling that Morgan and Prentiss knew as well but were just trying to buy Hotch some time.

He kept his eyes on the unsub's hands and attempted to control his breathing. Glad that the two agents stood ahead of him, Spencer knew he wouldn't have been any help in this situation. His eyes flickered down the block to the old deserted warehouse Hotch had disappeared into just ten minutes earlier in search of the most recent victim. But that was before the unsub had arrived- before they knew there was any real danger. Rossi had radioed Hotch as soon as they had seen what the unsub help in his hand. But the Supervisory Special Agent had refused to leave the building- claiming he had already reached the basement and just needed to grab the girl.

As his eyes fell back to the small remote detonator clutched tightly in his unsub's hand, he fought the urge to simply shoot to kill. They needed this unsub alive in order to find the other victims he claimed to have hidden throughout the city. And any wound less than fatal would still allow him to detonate the bomb with both Hotch and the victim still inside.

From behind him, Rossi murmured into his mic, "Aaron, get out of there. Now."

"Just a few more minutes," came the short reply.

Rossi swore quietly. "Damnit, you don't have-"

Just then, the unsub glanced at his watch and smiled serenely at them all. "Show time," he informed and pressed the small red button before anyone had the chance to process the information.

The force of the explosion rocked Spencer back into Rossi. The older man righted him and Spencer made an effort to clear his clouded head. But there was suddenly just too much commotion. Derek had long since tackled the unsub who was laughing hysterically as they led him to one of the police cars.

"What the hell is so funny?!" Morgan exploded.

The unsub bowed his head, shoulders shaking with mirth. "Fools!" He smiled at Morgan. "She was never there."

"Oh God," Spencer moaned as his stomach lurched from the news.

"Get him out of my sight," Morgan growled to a nearby officer.

Spencer's attention then focused on the smoking building just barely still standing down the road. _Aaron._ His breath slowly began to speed up and before long he was panting breathlessly. Morgan suddenly blocked his view of the damaged building, gripping his shoulders and speaking to him. Spencer had to concentrate in order to hear him over the wail of approaching fire engines.

"We're going to get him out of there, you hear me? He's going to be fine, but I need you to breathe with me okay? In, "he sucked in a huge deliberate breath. "And out." He let it slowly hiss from his mouth. Spencer wanted to tell Morgan the chances of them finding Hotch alive, because he knew- of course, he knew. The numbers had been swirling around in his head since the whole mess had begun and with each passing moment, they grew smaller and smaller. Instead of relaying this information, Spencer concentrated on following Morgan's instructions until he felt a little less light-headed.

"Better?" Morgan asked and Spencer nodded wordlessly.

oOo

It had been over an hour since the flames had been tamed enough for the firefighters to begin the search, leaving the present members of the BAU to stand at the end of the road, waiting for news. JJ, who had been left at the police station, had been informed of the situation awhile ago. She wanted to come to the sight but everyone informed her there was absolutely nothing any of them could do at the moment. Eventually she had agreed, promising to call Garcia in Quantico and keep her updated.

Spencer sat on the ground, his back leaned against one of the seemingly countless police cars surrounding them. Prentiss sat silently beside him, her hand clasping his in a show of emotion so rare for her, as they both watched Morgan pace restlessly before them. Spencer knew this helplessness and inactivity was killing Morgan and that if the fire chief had allowed it, the older man would be among the others in the building searching tirelessly for his boss. And Dave stood quietly to the side, his arms folded and head bowed.

Spencer was having a difficult time rationalizing how he had gone from waking up in Hotch's arms to trembling on the ground, waiting to find out if his lover was dead or alive. Just the thought was enough to cause tears to blur Spencer's vision.

"For God's sake, Morgan," Emily suddenly snapped. "Would you stop that pacing!"

Morgan had just turned to snap right back at her when he froze- they all did. It had been faint- just the quietest of moans, but they had all heard it.

Rossi pressed his earpiece firmly into his ear in the hopes of hearing better. "Aaron?" he asked cautiously.

Spencer's heart was suddenly pounding in his chest so loudly that he wondered if he'd even be able to hear a response if one came.

"D-Dave?" came the soft and uncertain reply. Spencer let out a choked breath and Emily's hand tightened around his own.

"It's me," Rossi confirmed. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Cant…really…breathe." Spencer's chest tightened as he picked up on Aaron's labored breathing for the first time. It sounded like he was barely getting any air. But he continued to struggle through speech. "Where's…Spenc…?"

Spencer swallowed painfully. "I'm outside."

"'Kay."

"Hotch," Morgan began. "Do you have any idea where you are? We're going to get you out of there but they're having a hard time finding you."

"Basement."

Morgan frowned. That much they knew. "Can you move?"

For a moment, the labored breathing grew even worse and was then accompanied by a coughing fit. The rattling sound emanating from the injured man's chest alarmed Spencer.

"…heavy." Was the only reply they got and Spencer noticed that Hotch had decided to stick with one-word answers for the time being.

"Rest," Spencer advised gently. "Help is coming."

The connection was silent for a few moments, save for the harsh breathes . "Talk …to me," Hotch finally pleaded. And so all four agents took turns talking to Hotch about anything light that came to mind, trying to distract them all from the time that was passing. But nothing could distract Spencer from the way Hotch's breaths became more and more shallow or the frequency and violence of his coughing fits. And he knew from their faces that the others had noticed it as well.

A large amount of time had passed when the fire chief approached them looking filthy and exhausted as he addressed the small group. "We're doing everything we can. We've looked everywhere we could get to but we just can't-"

"Find him," Spencer interrupted sternly, not even giving the older man a chance to finish the thought. "He's still alive in there. You continue to do everything you can and you _find him_."

The chief seemed surprised to learn that the trapped man was still alive but nodded wordlessly and returned to the job. The four agents attempted to revisit their conversation but it just wasn't the same, the weight of the situation weighing heavily on their hearts and minds. And Hotch's responses were becoming fewer and farther between. Finally, the man had one of his most violent coughing fits yet and Spencer knew by the wet sound that he was coughing up blood.

"Spence…" he rasped weakly when it was over.

"Yes?"

"They…not…coming." And Spencer hated that calm acceptance in his voice and the fact that he had abandoned his one-word tactic of conserving energy. This is what he had been saving his strength for- saying goodbye.

"No," tears blurred his vision. "They're coming for you," he insisted. "Don't think like that."

"…Realistic, babe…"

Spencer smiled through his tears at the endearment, but choked on a harsh sob. "Well, stop."

"Jack…you have to…take care…"

"Aaron, please," he pleaded through his tears. He was never Aaron at work; it was one of the rules. Just like he was never Hotch at home. But if ever there was a time to bend the rules, it was then.

"…Love you…"

Just then, the team could hear loud echoing noises on Hotch's end of the connection.

"Aaron Hotchner?" A voice called. And suddenly, the sounds doubled and another voice could be heard shouting that they had found him.

Spencer was suddenly shaking so badly that his teeth were chattering. Emily had her arms around his shoulders but he ignored her, too engrossed with the sounds of the rescuers attempting to remove the heavy object that had fallen across Hotch's chest, trapping him. Through their conversation, Spencer heard that Hotch still had a weak pulse but gave no response when a rescuer tried to rouse him.

When the rescuers carried Aaron Hotchner to an ambulance, Spencer reached out blindly for Morgan in order to remain upright. He felt a sure grip wrap around his arm as he watched them load the battered unconscious man into the waiting vehicle and speed to the nearest hospital. There hadn't been time for anyone to ask to ride with them as they had quickly whisked Hotch away, already working desperately on him. Spencer wouldn't have been able to formulate the words anyway, his mind racing and limbs trembling. And he willingly allowed Morgan to drag him to the black SUV.

oOo

Hotch had broken ribs, a punctured lung, and some cuts and bruises. But he was alive and stable and that's all that Spencer cared to concentrate on. Later that night, long after the others had given in the calls of food and a warm bed, Spencer sat beside Aaron's sedated form. He took in the pale face filled with patches of stitching and bruising, was mesmerized by the slow and steady breaths and allowed the tears to roll down his cheeks unchecked. It had been another close call for them and Spencer was hit hard by the knowledge that he could have lost him that day. Spencer assumed this raw and heavy fear, even after the fact, must have been what Aaron had felt as he was forced to watch the younger man being beaten and drugged under the hands of Tobias Hankel. Yet, beside the fear, was also the breathtaking relief he felt at the knowledge that Aaron was expected to make a full recovery. But they always did manage to beat the odds.

oOo

They had finally managed to get Jack to sleep despite all of his excitement over it being his first weekend with his father since his injuries. Both collapsing on the living room sofa, Spencer could see how pale and tired Aaron was, his energy still waning quickly. But he could also see how happy he was to have the little boy over.

"Bed?" Spencer asked when he noticed Aaron yawning.

Hotch shook his head, his arm tightening around Spencer's shoulders. "No, let's just stay here for awhile."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments.

"I really thought I was going to die down there," Hotch finally whispered into Spencer's hair and Spencer immediately stiffened.

They hadn't talked about it. And he really didn't want to but he would if Aaron felt up to it, so he waited for him to continue.

"I was trapped, and all I could think was that I was glad I hadn't let you come with me," he continued.

Spencer frowned but remained silent.

"I wanted to give up long before they ever found me, but your voice…you and Jack got me through."

Readjusting so that they were facing each other, Spencer placed his hands on either side of Aaron's face and firmly held his eyes. "Promise me you won't ever give up."

Aaron nodded, never breaking their gaze. "Promise you won't even stop talking to me."

They sealed it with a kiss.

_End._

**I really didn't expect it to get so Morgan/Garcia "Mayhem" at the end, but you know how these things end up writing themselves.  
This is my second Criminal Minds fanfic, so please let me know what you thought. Should I hang up the towel or keep practicing?  
Feedback is like Spencer Reid with his hair in a ponytail.**


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